Indexing mechanism.



PATENTED DB0. 24. 1907,

No. 874,754.A

E. J. PIA'IIIER.A INDEXING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1o, 190s.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l@ 8, cl

PATENTED DEG. 24, 1907.

E. J. FLATHER. INDEXING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.10. 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wm h@ km.

-PATETED DEC. 24, 1907.

E. J. PLATHBR. INDEXING MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 1o. 1 906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED DEG. 24, 1907. E. J. PLATHER. INDEXING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN.10 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EENEs'r J. FLATHER, oF NAsHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IN'IDEXINGr IllCECI-IANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented DeeI 24, 1907.

Application and January 10,1906. seal N. 295.468.

vTo all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST J. F LATHER, of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexing Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gear cutting machines and has for its object to provide such a machine with improved mechanism for automatically indexing. or feeding a gear blank after each operation -of the cutting mechanism into position for makiig a new cut, which mechanism will be set in operation by the cutter carriage, or otherfmoving part of the machine, after a cut has been completed, and will be automatically stopped after the blank has been fed the requisite amount.

Other objects are to obtain a mechanism which is relatively simple, easy to stop and start, certain in operation, and capable of fine and quick adjustments to secure any desired spacing of teeth. n

The construction' and arrangement of this mechanism are the same in .most details as the indexing mechanism shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 213,070, filed June 18, 1904, for gearcutting machine, the present application containing matter divided from that case, together with new and improved features.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation and partial section of a gear-cutting machine equipped with my improved blank-indexing mechanisnr Fig. 2represents a side elevation of the indexing mechanism and a portion of the cutter-operating mechanism, parts being removed for clearness. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of the driving and indexing mechanism, the supporting frame being shown in section. Fig. 4 represents aside elevationof Fig. 3, the driving-pulley and its'support being removed. Fig. 5 represents a sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing the indexing tripping mechanism. Fig.

6 represents la section online 6 6 of Fig.

2. Fig. 7 represents a sectional plan on line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 represents a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 represents a side elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 represents a section on line 11 11 of Fig-9. i Fig. 12 represents a side elevation of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 13 represents a section on line 13 13 of Fig. 9. Fig. 14 represents a sectionon line 14 14 of Fig. 9. Fig. 15 represents a section'on line 15 15 of Fig. 9. Fig; 16 represents a section on line 16 16 of ig. 10. Fig. 17 represents one form of index-controlling cam. Fig. 18 represents a view similar to Fig. 2, showing diiferent connections for setting the Yindexing mechanism in operation. Fig. 19 represents an elevation of the timing disk for disconnecting the clutch of the indexing mechanism. Fig. 20 represents an elevation as seen from the left of Fig. 19. Fig. 21 represents a section on line 21 21 of Fig. 19. Fig. 22 represents an elevation of the timing disk with the shield removed.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all-the res.

10 represents the be of a gear-cutting machine upon which is supported a cutter carriage 11 which is reciprocated on longitudinal guides of the bed. The carriage 11 has bearings in which is supported the rotatable .cutter shaft 12 carrying a cutter 13.

17. `The latter is engaged with the feed screw so as to slide longitudinally thereon, being held from relative rotation, and it has on opposite sides, provisions for clutching engagement with both the worm-wheel 15 and the gear 16.

The gear 15 is driven at aslow speed and the gear 16 at a more rapid rate from the vmain drive shaft 18 which carries a belt pulley` 19, whereby power is furnished the machine. The main shaft` carries a bevel gear v2Owhich meshes with a complemental gear 21 on a shaft 22 extending longitudinally of the machine. This shaft also carries 'a second bevel gear 23 meshing with a' gear 24 on a transverse shaft 25. Also fixed upon the transverse shaft 25 is a spur gear 26 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) meshing with an intermediate gear 27, the shaft of which carries a pinion for driving another gear 28.v Upon the shaft 29 of the latter is iixed a worm 30 which meshes with and so drives the Worm-gear 15.', wGear 16 isfdriveli by an intermediate spur gear 31 which meshes with a ear 32 fixed upon shaft 22. Y

'gfhe sliding clutch member is shifted by a shipping lever 33 connected to one end of a ro .34 which is mounted to slide longitudinally of the machine in xed guides 35 and isAreci rocated by the cutter carriage 11 throng a projection 36 on the latter engagin alternatelywith dogs 37 38 fixed to the r At the lconclusion ofthe forward cuta lost-motion connection between them so .that an initial movement of the right-hand section of thel rod is permitted beforethe `left-hand section is moved to operate the clutch shipper in such a Way as to throwin the forward-driving gear. This lost-motion connection consists of a sleeve 39 inned to the left-hand section of the rod witv which is telesco icallymovable a head 40 on the end of the right-hand section of the rod. There is an. internal shoulder at the open end of the sleeve so that the right-'hand section of the rod cannot be withdrawn therefrom. The object 4of this lost-motion of the righthand portionof the rod is to permit the indexing mechanism to be set into operation and to complete the feeding `of the gear blank before the cutter is started upon its next cutt' movement.

Fig. 1, a fragment of the gear blank is represented by 41 4and is supported -by a shaft 42 mounted to rotate in a bearing 43 which is adjustable up and down on vertical guideways 44 whereby blanksofvdifferent diameters may be brought into operative relation with the cutter. In order 'to rotate the blank there is provided an index-wheel 45 which is a worm wheel rotated by a worm 46 meshing therewith. This worm is carried in a casing 47 which is movable up and down with thebearing 43 and so is retained always in mesh with the index wheel. The 4'worm is rotated by a vertical shaft 48 which is so connected as to permit relative longitudinal motion of the worm.

The indexing driving shaft 48 is driven from the main shaft "18 by a gear train'consisting of a pinion 49 fixed to the main shaft, a spur gear 50 in mesh, therewith and driven thereby, a pinion 51 fixed. to the pinion 50 so as to move therewith, and a gear 52 meshing with the pinion 51. This train of gears constitutes a driving train which is normally in continuous operation. The rest of the intermediate gearmg for rotating theblank consists of a gear train which is only intermittently engaged with the driving train and may be referred to as the index train. This consists of a bevel gear 53 on -shaft 48, a coperating bevel gear 54 on a shaft 55 extending across the machine, a gear 56- on the last-named shaft, change gears 57 58 connected to ether -and loosely mounted on a stud 59, t e former of said gears being in mesh with gear 56, and the other with a change gear 60' on a second transverseshaft 61 parallel with shaft 55, a gear 62 fixed to ythe front end, of Vshaft 61, and finally a gear- 6,3 in mesh with 62. The gears 52 and 63 are rigidly connected to complemental clutch members 64 and 65 respectively, which are normally kept separated butmay be brought into connectlon when it is necessary to feed the blank to cut another tooth. The first gear. train may conveniently be called the driving means, the second-train the feeding means and the clutch members coupling devices,.by.

which the respective trains may be connected A to index the blank.' Y v In order to permit connection of the clutch, the gear 63 to which is connected the clutch member 65, is loosely mounted upon a tubular stud 66 so` as to be rotatable and movable.

longitudinally thereon. Within the bore of the tubular stud is mounted an endwise movable shaft 67 to which the gear and clutch member are connected by a transverse pin 68 crossing the shaft and clutch. This endwise movable shaft is made of two sections of which the left-hand section 67 a is mounted in a bushing 69 held in the end of a rigid arm 70 which projects forward from the frame of thel machine. l The bushing is held from rotation-in the arm by a key 71 and is clamped by nuts 7 2, while the shaft section 67 a is also prevented fromrotating, while being permitted to move longitudinally, .by a feather 73 entering a slot in the bushing. Surrounding the shaft section 67a and held against axial movement in the bushing is asleeve 74 which engages shoulders in the bushing. Fixed lto the, sleeve .is a inion 75 by which 1t may be rotated, and t e sleeve is .provided with one or more cam slots 76 into which 'project the end or ends of a pin 77 mounted transversely of the shaft section 67a. The two, sectionsof the shaft 67 are connected together by means of a headed axial stem 78 on one section which is laced in a shouldered socket 79 in the ot er section. This causes ,the endwise movement of one!- shaft section to move the other similarly, mits' the rotatable shaft section to turn relatively to the other section. It' will be evident that when sleeve 74 is turned in'one but perdirection, its inclined cam slots cause shaft 67 to be moved so as to bring gear 63 and clutch member65 into engagement with the other clutch 4member 64, and thereby the driving and index trains, which together make up theindexing mechanism, are connected and the gear blank is actuated. i

It Will benoted that the nuts 72 which are threaded outside the bushing 69 on opposite sides of the bracket arm 70 will enable an adjustment of the bushing longitudinally of its axis through the distance permitted by the width of key 71. Such axial movement is communicated to the sleeve 74 by the shoulders on the bushing, which embrace it, and. fromthe sleeve thro gli the pin 77, shaft 67, and pin 68 to the clutch'member 65.

Thereby the distance between the. clutchmembers may be adjusted to regulatenthe time at which they are disconnected, and to make the time of disconnection coincide with the instant atwhich the shoulder 98 hereinafter described, strikes the detent 96.

The pinion 75 is oscillated to turn the sleeve by means of an arm which carries a gear segment 81 meshing with said pinion 75. The arm is rigidly connected to a hub 82 mounted loosely upon a stud 83, and to the hub there is connected a second arm 84 to which is pinned a link 85 connected with a bell-crank lever 86 by means of an' intermediate link or fioating bell-crank 87. The bell-crank 86 is pivoted at 88 and carries upon one of its arms a pin 89 projecting into the path of a dog or pawl 90 on the rod 34. Both the pin and pawl are beveled on one side so that the latter may slide over the end of the former when the carriage makes its forward cutting movement, but they have coperatingshoulders which engage when the carriage is reversed and cause the bellcrank to be thrown over. The intermediate link or floating bell-crank 87 is ivotally connected at 91 with the bell-cran 8,6, this pivotal connection constituting the fulcrum which is moved when the first bell-crank is oscillated. The member 87 has a laterally-- projecting ann or finger 92 which is also moved bodily when the lever 86'is oscillated and in the path of which isa stop pin 93 which is engaged by the finger 92 when the member 87 has been moved a certain amount. The projection 92 being arrested while the pivot 91 continues to move, causes the bellvcrank 87 to be turned in left-hand rotation mechanism tends to turn` gear 94 inthe di-` rection of the arrow in Figs. 2 and 5, so when the detent on arm 84 is in engagement with shoulder 98 such tendency is resisted and the indexing mechanism is held locked. 4 in mesh with and driven by gear 94 is an intermediate gear 99, to which is fixed a pinion 100 meshing-with a gear v101 on thseshaft 102 of which is fixed a disk 103. Thet disk has one or more notches 104 in its periphery, into which may extend a projection 105 on the link 85. One side of each notch is formed as an abrupt-shoulder which bears against a corresponding shoulder on projection 105, and when the disk is` being moved, pushes linkA 85 tothe right and thereby tends to move and hold arm 84 in the widened part of cam and in engagement with thelocking shoulder 98.

When the locking arm 84 is so -held the clutch-operating arm 80 is in the position which causes the clutch members 64 and 65 to be separated. Now when the bell-crank 86 is moved in left-hand rotation by the operating rod 34, the member 87 is first raised bodily and thereby the end of link 85 which carries projection 105 is raised to disengage said projection from the disk. When its disengagement has been effected, the disk is free to be rotated and the vprojecting arm 92 has come into engagement with stop 93. Further movement of bell-crank 86 .causes the link 87 to be rotated and link 85.moved bodily endwise to the left, thereby freeing arm 84 and detent 96 from the locking shoulder`98, leaving gear .94 free to turn and simultaneously rotating gear 75 and sleeve 74. The latter part of this motion of rotation causes the pin 77 to be acted on by cam slot 76 and the shaft 67 and clutch member 65 to be moved endwise, whereby the clutch is connected and the indexing train set in motion to move the gear blank the necessary amount. After the. dog or pawl 90 has assed by the bell-crank, link 85 is free to all so that its projection rests upon the periphery of disk 103. The latter has meanwhile been set in rotation and when it has turned sufficiently far to bring one of its vnotches adjacent the projection 105., the latter falls into the same and is engaged by the shoulder at the side of the notch. Further movement or the disk moves link 85 to the left, oscillating arm 80 and sleeve 74 in the direction to disconnect the clutch members, and at the same time moving detent 96 into the enlarged part of cam groove 95. When the disconnection of the clutch has been effected, the locking shoulder 98. comes into contact with detent 96 and causes the indexing mechanism and blankl to vbe stopped at exactly the right' point. The positive gearing between camgear 94 and disk 103 is suc-h as to bring'the enlarged part of the cam groove adjacent .the arm 84 when .link 85 is* operated by the disk. The disk may be made to rotate at the same speed as the cam gear 94 or it may turn slower, and is provided With notches corresponding in number to the amount of the speed ratio. In the construction here illustrated, the'speed ratio I the notches to be simultaneously covered.

and has the same number of notches as the disk, whichA are similarly spaced. Two of the notches 107 which are, diametrically'oppositeeach other are of the same wid-th as the notches 104, while an intermediate notch 108 is twice, and the fourth notch 109 three times this Width. The diameter of the shield intermediate the notchesis the same as that of the disk so that the peripheries of( the -two members constitute parts ofthe same cylindrical surface. When the parts are inthe position shown in Fig. 19, all of the notches are uncovered but when the lshield is moved in left-hand rotation by a distance equal to the width of one notch, the notches 107 are covered by overlapping parts of the shield and diskfwhile the notches "108I andl 109 are open. A further movement of the disk in the same direction by a similar amount causes all the notches except 109 to be covered. Movement of the shield 106l in right-hand rotation from the position shown in Fig. 19, Will cause all The projection 105 is of sufficient width to extend over parts of both the disk and shield and to rest upon 'the periphery of each. Accordingly w en `the notc es of the two members coincide, the projection will fall into them but when they are not side by side it will be held up. Thus by adjusting the shield the indexing mechanism may be caused to` disconnect itself after one, two 'or four rotations of the gear 94, or it may be caused to continue in operation indenitely untilit is manually stopped. For holding the shield in any adjusted relation, I provide a pin 110 -mounted in a tubular stud 111 carried bythe shield and Apressed by a' spring 112 against the disk. finger disk 1.13 permits the pin'tobe retracted. Holes 114 are formed 1n the disk spaced so as to permit the pin to enter them and to hold the shield in any one of the required positions.

:indicatonpin -115 is mounted upon the disk `and projects through a slot 116 in the shield. A scale of figures on the shield indicates the adjustment and shows the number of rotations of gear 94 which will be mage beforel the index mechanism is uncovere r In Fig.,18 I have shown a ldiiieren't mechanism for throwing the indexing mechanism into and out of connection. This consists of an arm or striker 156 which is mounted to oscillate on the driving shaft 18 and has a gear segment 154 meshing witha segment 157 formed upon .an arm 158 whichis connected to the same hub 82 which carries the arms 80 and 84. The striker orarm 156' projects into the path of a pivoted springpressed pawl 159 carried by the end of the shipping rodl 34. When the pawl engages the striker it oscillates the latter and through the gear segments 154 157 andv arm ,158 moves the locking arm 84 away from the locking shoulder 98 and at the same time throws in the clutch. The can groove 95 has an external eccentricsurface 160 which engages the detent 96 at the end of each `revolution of gear 94 and forces the locking arm over `so that the detent is in osition to be engaged by shoulder 98. Wit .this construction the indexing gear train is autogear 94. 161 is a handle connected to-hub 82 by which the indexing mechanism may be thrown into operation by hand. The hub portion 82 in which the arms 80 andn84 are connected, is elongated and forms the journal upon which gears 50 and 51 are mounted to turn.

Fig.' 17 shows a construction of the indexcontrolling cam 94 which has a pivoted latch plunger 171- and has a shoulder 172 which engages the detent 96 when the latter is m contact with the shoulder 98, and thus prevents the cam from turning in either direction. The latch is adapted to yield when the cam is turning before the detent engages .the shoulder 98 so as to permit the detent to pass by shoulder 172.

I have found it to be of the utmost importance to have the locking shoulder arrest the indexing mechanism at almost the exact are disconnected. This is necessary 'in order that the machine may beindexed by hand or by power at any speed, even such a low one that there is not sufficient momentum to turn the gearing at all after the clutch members have separated. In all other mafamilia-l, the `driving-clutches for the indexing mechanism -are thrown out -an appreciable time before the lock which stops the mechanism comes' intolay, and consequently, unless the machine is driven at a ing mechanism will stop by its frictional resistance before the ositive ock is engaged, vand before the blan has been sufficiently indexed. By providing the adjustment herebefore described, I am enabled to locate the movable clutch member 65 at exactly the necessary distance from the other member -64 to cause the separation to take place so instant when the driving clutch members chines of this character4 with'which I am' certainfairly high rate Iof speed, the indexmatically thrown out at every revolution of 170 which is pressed outwardly by a spring for cutting spur teeth .on a cylindrical gear blank, but it isto be understood that the mechanism is not restricted to so limited a class of machines or to this particular work, but it may be adapted to feed in a straight line .or in a ath other than circular a blank in which ingentations are to be cut,I and it could also be used as a tool feed Aon an automatic machine tool. lThus the invention embodied in this application may be adapted without changingv its essential features 'to machines for cutting racks, or to any class of milling machine, whatever particular work the same is capable of performin and the mechanism could be used for indexing the tool of an automatic drilling machine or in any other relation where automatic indexing i could be applied.

1 claim Y 1. A gear-cutting machine comprising a blank-holding shaft, a reci rocating cutter- -movable into engagement carriage havin a cutter a apted to act on the blank, an mdexing mechanism adapted to communicate motion tothe blank-holding shaft, said mechanism including a loose driving member, and a clutch member which is movable into and out of engagement with the driving member to render theindexing mechanism operative and inoperative, mechanism operated by the carriage in its back- Ward movement for engaging the .clutch member with the drivin member, and positive operating means riven by the indexing mechanism, for first `separating the clutch member from the driving member and then locking the indexing mechanism.. 2.v A gear-cutting' machine comprising a blank-holding shaft, a reci rocating cuttercarriage havin a cutter a apted to act on the blank, an indexing mechanism' adapted to communicatemotion to the blank-holding shaft, said mechanism including a loose driving member, and a clutch member which is movable into and out of en agement with the driving member tp render the indexing mechanism operative and inoperative, a locking gear meshing with a gear of the in- -dexing mechanism and provided with a camgroove having a locking shoulder, a detent with the said shoulder, and mec-hanism operated by a backward movement of the carriage for first' removing the detent from the shoulder and then moving the clutch member into engagement with the driving member, the said cam-groove having an eccentric ortion which is caused by the rotation of the ocking gear to move the detent to first separate the f clutch member from the driving member, and then engage the detent with the shoulder of the locking gear. y

3. A gear-cutting machine comprising a blank-holding shaft, an indexing mechanism to impart motion thereto, said mechanism including a loose driving member anda movable clutch member coperating therewith, and clutch-operating mechanismincludingla longitudinally movable shaft to which t e clutch member is affixed, a sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft and having `obli ue slots engagin studs on vthe shaft, means or conning sai sleeve against endwise movement, and means for partially rotating said sleeve in opposite directions, and thereby imparting endwise movements to the shaft and .clutch member for connecting the driving and clutch members together and subsequently disconnecting them.

4. A gear-cutting machine comprising a cutter carriage, a blank-holding shaft, an indexing mechanism to impart motion thereto, and including a loose driving member and a movable clutch member cooperating theregaged with said clutch member, a gear loosely mounted on the said shaft and confined against movement lengthwise of the shaft, connections between said gear and shaft for imparting endwise movements from the gear to the shaft, a lever having a geararm affixed to said lever, a locking gear meshing with a member of the indexing mechanism and having a groove receiving the detent-arm, said groove havin a stopshoulder to arrest the detent, a ro reciprocated by the carriage and provided with a paWl, and an oscillatory arm or striker located in the path of said pawl and connected as described with the said lever and detentarm, the groove of-the locking gear having an eccentric portion formed to move the detent-arm and the lever connected therewith.

5. Indexing mechanism for metal-cutting machines comprising a driving gear train, a driven feeding gear train, a disconnectible coupling between said trains, an endwise movable shaft to which one of the coupling members is fixed, mechanism for'movingV sai shaft to connect the coupling and thereby set in operation the feeding train, and means positively operated by the latter train for reversely' moving said mechanism and shaft to disconnect the coupling.

6. Indexing mechanism for. blank-cutting machines, comprising a driving'gear train, a' blank-feeding gear train, a disconnectible clutch between said trains, an endwise movable shaft to which one of the clutch members is fixed, mechanism for movin said shaft to connect the clutch and there y set kin operation the blank-feeding train, means with, a longitudinally movable shaft en.

segment engaged with said gear, a detentoperated by -the latter train for reversely moving said mechanism and shaft to disconting machines nect the clutch, and a stop for arresting and docking the blank-feeding train.

7. An indexing mechanismfor metal-cutcomprising continuously driven, and separated intermittently movable, indexing means, a clutch adapted to couple together said means, an endwise movable shaft for causing connection and disconnection of the parts of the clutch, a cam en- `gaged to move the shaft, 'a carriage, and

means operated in one direction by-the carriage for moving the' cam to connect the clutch, and in the o posite direction by said indexing means to isconnect the clutch.

' 8. An indexing mechanism for metal-cutting machines comprising continuously, and

intermittently movable, indexing means, a clutch adapted to couple together said means, an endwise movable shaft for causing connection and disconnection of the .parts of the clutch, a rotatable cam surrounding the shaft and engaged therewith to reciprocate the same, and mechanism for turning the cam oppositely for causing alternate connection land disconnection of the clutch.

9. An indexing mechanism for metal-cutting machines comprising continuously, and

intermittently movable, indexing means, a4

clutch adapted to` cou le together said means, an endwise movab e shaft for causing "means, an en Y connection and disconnection of the parts of connection and disconnection of the parts of lthe clutch, means for preventing rotation of the shaft, a sleeve held against endwise movement surrounding .the shaft and having cam surfaces engaged to reciprocate the same, and mechanism for turning said sleeve oppositely to cause alternate connection and disconnection of the clutch. 10. An indexing mechanism for metalcutting machines comprising continuously, and intermittently movable, indexing means, a clutch adapted to couple together said wise movable shaft for causing the clutch, said shaft consisting of two sections one of which is rotatable and connected to a part of the clutch, while the. other is held against rotation, a cam member engaged with the non-rotatable shaft section for reciprocating the same, and mechanism for driving the cam member opiositely to cause y nected to a part of the clutch, While the t5' other is held againstiotation, an oscillatable isconnection of sleeve -held against endwise movement surrounding the non-rotatable shaft section machine for making operative said clutch,

and timing mechanism operated by the feeding means for disconnecting the clutch,

including a timing disk having adjustable provisionsfor varying the time at which it becomes operative to disconnect the clutch.

13. An indexing mechanism for metal-85 cutting machines comprising driving means, driven feeding means, a clutch for connecting and-disconnecting said means to advance intermittently the part to be fed, connections operated by a moving part of the machine for making operative said clutch, and a timing disk rotated by the feeding means having a shoulder arranged to engage said connections and move the same to disconnect the clutch.

14. Anindexing mechanism for metalcutting machines comprising driving means, driven feeding means, a clutclifor connecting and disconnecting said means to advance intermittently the part being fed, c'onnee- 100 tions operated by a moving part of the machine for making operative said clutch, and a timing device consisting of a disk driven by the feeding m`eans and a shield adjustably connected to the disk, the disk having 'a 105 shoulder arranged to engage and move said connections to -disconnect the clutch, and the shield having a surface movable into position to cover the shoulder.

15.- An indexing mechanism for metalcutting machines comprising driving means, work-feeding means, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting said means to feed the work intermittently, connections operated by a moving part of the machine for making operative said clutch, and a timing device consisting of a disk driven. by the work-feeding mean's and a shield adjustably connected to the disk, the disk having a plurality of notches arranged to engage and move said connections to disconnect the clutch, and the shield having a surface adapted to bridge over certain of the notches.

16. An indexing mechanism for gearcutting machines comprising driving means, 'blank-feeding means, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting said means to feed a gear blank intermittently, a clutch-shifting device,'a link connected to operate said clutchshifting device and. having a projection, a

ting machines comprisin disk driven by the blank-feeding means having a shoulder for engaging said projection and moving the link in a direction to cause disconnection of the clutch, and connections operated by a moving part of the machine for disengaging said projection from the disk and moving the hnk in a direction to cause connection ofthe clutch.

17. An indexing mechanism for gearcutting machines comprising driving means, blank-feeding means, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting said means to feed a gear blank intermittently, a clutch-shifting device, a link connected to operate said clutchshifting device and having a projection, a disk driven by the blank-feeding means having a shoulder for engaging said projection and moving the link in a direction to cause disconnection of the clutch, and connections operated by a moving part of the machine for .first lifting said projection out of engagement with the disk and then moving the link longitudinally to cause connec-v tion of the clutch.

18. An indexing mechanism for gear-cutting machines compris' means, blank-rotating means, aulutch for connecting and disconnecting said means to turn a gear blank intermittently, a clutch-shiftin device, a link connected to operate said clutch-shifting device and having a projection, a disk driven by the blank-rotatin means having a shoulder for engaging said projection and moving the link in a direction to cause disconnection of theclutc'h, and connections 'operated by a moving part of the machine including a link hav a lateral finger and connected to said first kfand a fixed stop in the path of said Enger, for mov-v ing said projection in one direction out of engagement with the disk and then moving the irst link bodily in a different direction to cause connection oi the clutch.

19.l An indexing mechanism for gear-cutblank-rotating means, a c utch for connectlng and disconnecting said means to turn a gear blank intermittently, a clutch-shiftin device, a link connected to operate sai dutch-shitting device? and having a projection, -a disk driven by the blank-rotating means having a shoulder for engaging said projection and moving the linkin a direction to cause disconnection of the clutch, and con'- nections operated by a moving part of the machine tor disengaging said projection from the disk and moving the link 1n a direction to cause connection ofthe ciutch, said connections including s belicrank lever iv oted 4to a movahie iuicrnm and to the 'nk and movable bodiiy in a direction at ri ht angles to the iink, and a fixed stop located to he engaged by one oi the arms oi the hellerank in its movement.

20. an indexing mechanism for a gear-f driving means,

bie clutch members tending from .it

which rotation ci the cam produces endvvisel movement of the shaft, and means for adblank, a clutch formingpart of the mechanism for causing and mterrupting motion cillate said cam member, a rotating locking shoulderdriven by the indexing mechanism, and a stop movable into the path of said shoulder when the clutch is disconnected, to thereby'arrest the motion of said mechanism.

21. In an indexing mechanism for a gear blank, a clutch forming partof the mechanism for causing and interrupting motion thereof, a rotatable cam member engaged with a portion of the clutch to move the same oppositely for connecting and disconnecting the clutch, an arm connected to oscillate said 'cam member, a rotating locking shoulder driven by the indexing mechanism, and a stop connected to be moved into the path of said shoulder, When the clutch is disconnected, to thereby arrest the motion of said mechanism.

22. In an indexing mechanism of the character described, in combinatiomdriving and drivenindexing gear trains, disconnectible clutch members for putting said driven train in operation, a stop for arresting said driven tram upon disconnection of the clutch members, and means for adjusting one of said clutch members toward or from the other, whereby the disconnection thereof may be accomplished substantially simultaneously with the action of the stop.

23. In an indexing mechanism oi the character described,`in combination, driving and driven indexing gear trains, disconnectible clutch members for .putting said driven train in operation, a stop'for arresting said driven tram upon disconnection of the clutch members, an endWise-movable shaft section for causing connection and disconnection of the clutch members, and adjusting means for shifting said shaft to vary the distance between the members when disconnected, whereby the time of disconnection may be caused to coincide nearly with the laction of the sto.

2e. im an indexing mechanism ci the character described, in combination, driving and driven indexing gear trains, disconnectior putting said driven train in operation, a stop for arresting saiddriven tram upon disconnection of the clutch members, an endWise-movableshaft section for causing connection and disconnection of the cliitch members, a sleeve surrounding said shaft havin@ a cam slot, a projection exe shaft into such siot by justing s aid sleeve endwise, whereby the rele tive positions and time oigdisconnection oi said members may be regniated.

25. In an indexing mechanism of the character described, in combination, driving and driven indexing gear trains, disconnectible clutch members for putting said driven train in operation, a stopfor arresting said driven train upon disconnection ofthe clutch membersi an endWise-movable shaft section for causing connection and disconnection oftheclutch membersV a sleeve surrounding said shaft having a c am slot, a projection extending from the shaft ,into such slot by which rotation of the cam produces endwise movement of the shaft, an externally threaded bushing surrounding and embracing the sleeve, abracke't in which said bush- 15 ing is held, and adjusting collars threaded on the bushing and en aging opposite sides of the bracket, Where y the bushing, slot and shaft may be axially shifted to vary the distance between the clutch members and 20 re ulate their time of disconnection.

n testimony Whereoil I have aHixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

ERNEST J. FLATHER.

Witnesses: H. E. FLATHER,

H. J. ALEXANDER. 

